Spring nut fastener or the like



Sept. 26, 1944. G. A. TINNERMAN SPRING NUT FASTENER OR THE LIKE Original Filed Sept. 3, 1941 GEORGE A. TINNERMAN Patented Sept. 26, 1944 2,358,837 SPRING NUT ms'rnNm on Tim LIKE George A. Tinnerman, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Tinnerman Products,

corporation of Ohio Original application Sep 1110., Cleveland, Ohio, a

tember 3, 1941, Serial No.

409,423. Divided and this application April 30,

1943, Serial No.

11 Claims.

is a division of my pending application, Serial No. 409,423, filed September 3, 1941, for Spring nut fasteners or the like. The invention is directed to fasteners of the type embodying a sheet metal spring locking plate or the like designed for use with a cooperating bolt or stud fastening member in the manner of a nut device for securing the parts of an assembly.

More particularly, the invention deals with an improved form of sheet metal spring nut device adapted to fasten with a transversely grooved, barbed or otherwise shouldered bolt or stud by being applied generally transversely of the stud to a position in which the parts secured thereby are clamped firmly and rigidly under continuously efi'ective spring force.

In many installations which are subject to continuous vibratory motion and heavy usage, heretofore known fasteners of this character have been found to lack the combination of required resiliency and durability to absorb the effects of shock and vibration as necessary to withstand loosening or removal from applied fastening position over any extended period of use. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide such a fastener comprising a simple, inexpensive sheet metal device which is applied generally transversely to fastening engagement with a cooperating bolt or stud and which embodies an improved construction making for increased resiliency coupled with durability whereby the fastener is capable of withstanding severe conditions of shock, vibration and the like in providing a strong and reliable fastening assembly over a long period of service.

Another object is to provide a fastener of this character'having an improved simplified construction which lends itself to the very economical quantity production of the fasteners.

Still another object is to provide such a fastener which is simple, durable and, in addition, has the desired increased resiliency for securing the parts of an assembly under a high degree of continuously effective spring force in a manner to absorb the effects of any shock, vibratory motion or the like which could possibly cause a loosening or removal of the fastening device from applied fastening position.

A further, more specific, object ofthe invention is to provide a fastener of the kind described This application which is relatively cheaper in cost in that less material is required in forming the same from a comparatively small sheet metal body providing a base and a complementary spring arm member provided from the material of said base to, ex-

tend out of the plane thereof in yieldable relation thereto in a manner to provide for increased resiliency in such a fastener and otherwise supply a high degree of spring tension on the cooperating bolt or screw in applied fastening position in a completed assembly.

A still further object is to provide such a sheet metal fastener in which the complementary spring arm member is struck from the base of the fastener to extend in yieldable relation thereto in a manner to exert a progressively increasing axial spring force on the bolt or stud on being'applied to fastening engagement therewith, and which spring arm member is provided with means for preventing movement of the fastener in a direction toward loosening or removal from finally applied fastening engagement with the bolt or stud.

Still another object of the invention is for the provision of a fastener of this character having an upturned end portion to which a tool may be applied for easily and quickly applying the fastener and also for releasing the same.

Further objects and advantages, and other new and useful features in the construction, arrangement and general combination of parts of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout, the same, and in which:

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of-a preferred form of the improved fastener; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the fastener as initially applied to a stud in position for securing the parts of an assembly; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the fastener in finally applied fastening position; Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3; and, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 4 taken on the line 55, looking in'the direction of the arrows.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows on-an enlarged scale the general construction of the improved fastener which may be produced at very low cost from a relatively small, inexpensive blank of any suitable sheet metal, preferably spring metal or cold rolled metal having spring-like characteristics. The fastener may. of course, be formed from blanks of various outlines, but from the standpoint of most economical quantity production, is best provided from a relatively small, generally rectangular blank which may be obtained at low cost from ordinary sheet metal strip stock with a minimum loss or waste of material. The fasteners other- 2 asoaesv wise are characterized by a simplified construcbase II from which is stamped or struck and.

tion embodying a high degree of resiliency and formed acooperating stu retaining element I! in which construction is admirably suited to: quanthe form of substantial spring arm or the like tity production at very low cost in'that only a which is integral at one end with said base I and single thickness of metal stock is required and 5 extends in inclined spaced relation thereto in a merely the simplest stamping and forming.operamanner to provide for a high degree of resiliency tions are involved such that the devi e may b relative to and in cooperation with" said base ll. manufactured on standard punch presses at 13 Said spring arm element l2 otherwise is so formed mendously high rates of production, to include an intermediate portion II which is Generally speaking, the fasteners are so con- 10 inclined gradually from said base and terminates structed as to have what may be termed a slidi free d P n ll x ndi in pre eterihg, wedge-type or fastening action with a mined generally parallel and spaced relation to operating bolt or stud in securing any two or s base more parts A, B, in an assembly under a continu- The sprin arm is Pr v w h n itudinal ously effective spring clamping force. The bolt or slot l5 of substantially unifo Width eXtehdinZ stud I may be or any suitable character comfrom adjacent the ar in wh h s i p in a m prising abarbed, grooved or otherwise shouldered is integral with the base ll of the fastener to shankwhich ma b d i t and through t the substantial center area or the free end porparts to be secured or otherwise passed through tion ll. The width ofsaid slot is only sli h ly aligned openings th it leading end por greater than the root diameter of the shank at tion of said shank projecting rrom the rearward the bottoms the r v ll eh he should of th assemmed parts. ders 3 such that when the spring arm of the fas- In the present example, the stud is shown in teller is connected to the ud in a ement with a preferred form comprising an enlarged head 2 n of said shoulders, as sh in F18- h re i and a ring-barbed h k defining i m of provided a positive locked relation from which spaced shoulders a which afford certain advanthe sprint fastener cannot be removed by m t ges when one or more of the part segured 1s merit axially 0f t e stud. Said slot terminates of relatively soft, porous composition such as fiin an enlarged circular Stud receiving p g brous insulating material used in refrigerators, ly ubstantially entirely in the base ll of the automobile bodies, etc., or sheathing board or the fastener adiacent the area in which the m like to which are secured shingles or siding slabs i2 is integral therewiti'i- Sflid- Opening in various building constructions In this is of a size for receiving readily the overall dispect, bolts or Studs having Such a r1ng barbed ameter of the stud shank as defined by the shoulshank serve the dual purpose, first, of providing tiers 3 and Preferably with only ll clearance sufficient hoidihg ability in the fibrous insulating as in order that e stud may e ce readily material, sheathing board, or the like, A, for in Said n nsand the adjoining edges of the temporarily installing shingles or. other parts B easily andqiiickiy guided intii engagement in proper assembled relation thereon prior to fiw the adjacent Shoulder 3 0f the e c s ringnally securing said parts, whereas an ordinary barb of the studnail having only a, smooth or roughened shank 40 At the end of the slot IS in the free end portion would not be held with suilicient gripping force. 0f the Spring he surrounding mar in l for this purpose by the relatively soft and porous e p e e y is p o d d t a d pres n composition of such materials; and second, s forming a rigid, generally annular seat II for the a barbed shank defines a pronouncedshoulder or shoulder of the e gaged ring-barb and which rib construction with which the cooperating spring seat is bordered by a retaining rim defining 100knut fasteners In applied, t e t from the rearing elements or projections l8 adjacent the slot l5 ward side of the installation are capable of posiwhich Prevent y ve ent of the fastener in a tive locking action in fastening the partsA, B, direction toward r v l from pp ied rastenins in, permanently secured position, as presently to engagement with the Stud; The spring arm I be e rib d, I otherwise is provided in a more or less predeter- The ring-barbed stud otherwise is such as to mined spaced re a i n to e e ii according define a series of sharp abutments or shoulders 3 to Service requirements and the amount f espaced by grooves receiving the adjacent sur- Siiieiicy necessary for eiempin! t Parts Of he rounding t l of t, A on being driven assembly most efiectivehr under continuous spring th rein t interlock t t shank and engage force. Preferably one end of the base H is bent particularly said shoulders 3 thereof and thereby upwardly to Provide a flange which y be resist withdrawal of the stud after being ap grasped by the fingers or engaged by a suitable to install the parts to be secured in temporary t l for easily and quickly app n t a r. fastening position. Even though the relatively or for removing the e i a minimum or time soft and porous composition of part A lacks suflland effort;

cient body to retain ordinary nails, the use of I m t foregoing, it will be understood that the ring-barbed studs provides for sumoient holdthe fastener constructed substantially as eing power to retain the part B thereon effectively scribed and Shown in 1 s pp s i u in temporarily installed relation; and thus, in a tiflted n sby fi t p sitioning the stud rebuilding construction, for example, a speedy and ceiving op n therein Ov the pr jecting economical method of procedure involves the tempointed end of the St d extending through t e porary installation of shingles on the exterior Dar -A, B, to be se ured. The flat base l of side of an area of sheathing to completion, if dethe fastener is pressed flush again he adjacent sired, before the application of the cooperating rearward race or part A to take up any clearance spring fasteners ill to the studs from the interior in the assembly and otherwise dispose the adside of the sheathing for permanently securing jacent edges of the slot II on either side of the the shingles thereto. stud shank under the shoulder defined by the In providing the general type of fastener shown ring-barb l to be engaged by said edges borderin Fig. 1, the selected form of blank or sheet ing the slot. The fastener is then pushed or metal body I0, is designed to define a suitable 7s slid longitudinally in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, to the position shown in Fig. 3, and during this action the engaged shoulder 3 of the stud rides on the longitudinal edges bordering the slot I over the intermediate incline portion l3 of the spring arm. This causes t pring arm to be compressed toward the base ll of the fastener as necessary for the engaged shoulder 3 to snap over the retaining rim portionsl8 onto the free end portion ll of the spring arm to be finally positioned on the seat I I defined by the depression around the adjacent end 01' the slot l5. It will be understood that in such application of the fastening device whereby the engaged shoulder 3 rides on the inclined intermediate portion iii of the spring arm, said spring arm exerts a progressively increasing camming or wedging action on said shoulder to draw the stud axially and tighten the assembly of secured parts A, B. In the final fastening position of the fasteners shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the spring arm I2 is maintained in a constantly tensioned condition from the initial, normal position thereof shown in Fig. 2, and thereby exerts a continuous axial pull on the stud as the base H of the fastener resiliently engages the adjacent part A and clamps the same to part B under continuously effective spring force in the completed fastening installation. In this relation, the engaged shoulder 3 of the stud is firmly and rigidly positioned on the seat I I beyond the adjacent rim portions is which define locking projections adapted to engage the stud and prevent any reverse movement of the fastener in a direction toward removal from applied fastening position.

Removal of the fastener may be effected readily by a suitable force on the fastener, as through flange Hi, to cause the spring arm I: to be depressed suificiently for the engaged shoulder 3 to ride over the locking projections l8 and otherwise slide on the inclined intermediate portion l3 to a position in which the stud is aligned with the stud receiving opening It, whereupon the fastener may be removed easily and quickly in more or less the reversal of the foregoing described procedure for applying the fastener to fastening position.

The spring fastener in any form of the invention preferably is constructed of relatively thin sheet metal, the thickness of which is selected according to service requirements and the predetermined size of the parts secured. The fasteners are most effective when provided of spring metal suitably spring tempered and otherwise treated to give the desired toughness and hardness, particularly in the case of devices which are put to heavy duty in installations where extreme vibratory motion takes place. A cheap but effective fastener may be provided from cold rolled metal, such as cold rolled steel, which is untempered but of a spring metal nature and preferably harder than that of the cooperating bolt or stud employed therewith in providing an effective and reliable fastening means adapted for a long period of satisfactory service and use.

I claim: x

1. The combination,. with a stud having a shoulder on its shank, of a fastener having a base with a resilient tongue out from the base by a U-shaped slit and extending diagonally upward, there being an entirely enclosed slot extending from the base adjacent the root of the tongue and along the tongue to a region near the free end thereof, the end portion of the slot adjacent the root of the tongue being enlarged to allow the passage of the shoulder on the stud shank, the end portion of the slot at the free end of the tongue being narrower than the shoulder on the shank, whereby the stud may be inserted through the enlarged portion of the slot and thereafter by longitudinal movement of the fastener may have its shoulder engage the tongue and press the same toward the base.

2. The combination, with a stud having an external annular shoulder on its shank, of a fastener made of a single piece of resilient sheet material and having a base with a tongue out from the base by a U-shaped slit, there being an entirely enclosed slot at least as wide as the smallest diameter of the shank extending from the base adjacent the root of the tongue and along the tongue to a region near the free end thereof, the end portion of the slot adjacent the root of the tongue being enlarged by a hole through the base to allow thepassage of the shoulder on the stud shank, the intermediate region of the slot and the end portion thereof at the free end of the tongue being narrower than the shoulder on the shank.

3. A fastener made of a single piece of resilient material providing a base with a tongue out therefrom and extending along the tongue and terminating at one end in an enlarged opening through the base adjacent the junction of the tongue sides with the base, said enlarged opening being bridged on the outer side by the end portion of the fastener base.

4. A fastener made of a single piece of resilient material comprising a substantially flat base portion having one end bent upwardly to provide a flange, there being a tongue out out of the base by a U-shaped slit and a longitudinally enclosed slot, the two sides of the tongue joining the base adjacent the end opposite said flange and the flange :being entirely beyond the free head of the tongue, said slot terminating at the base end of the tongue in an enlarged opening.

5. A fastener made of a single piece of resillent sheet material comprising a substantially flat base upturned for a short distance at the end thereof, and a tongue out from the body of the base and anchored thereto adjacent the end thereof opposite the upturned end and extending at an acute angle to the base toward said upturned end but terminating short thereof and not covered by any portion of the fastener, said tongue having adjacent its free end an opening for the passage of a stud and having a slot extending lengthwise of the tongue and communicating with an enlarged opening through the base adjacent the junction of the tongue with the base. 1

6. A fastener comprising a single strip of resilient sheet material providing a base and an upturned flange at one end of the base, a tongue out from the body of the base and having spaced sides the ends of which join the base adjacent the end thereof opposite the upturned end, said tongue extending at an acute angle to the base and having adjacent its free end an opening for the passage of a stud and having a margin about the opening depressed from the adjacent body of the tongue, said depressed end portion terminating short of the upturned flange so as to be entirely uncovered by any portion of the fastener.

7. 'A fastener made of a single piece of resilient spring metal comprising a substantially fiat base portion flanged upwardly at one end and inclined upwardly slightly at the other end, there being a tongue out out of the base by a U-shaped slit and an internal slot, the sides of the tongue joining the base adjacent the slightly inclined end thereof, said slot terminating at that end in e an enlarged opening through the base closed across its end by the end portion of the base, said tongue having in its upper surface a depression about the other end of the slot leaving a partly annular region about such end adapted to form a seat for a shoulder on a stud which may pass through the enlarged opening.

8. A fastener made of a single integral piece of resilient sheet material and providing a base and a tongue out from an intermediate region of the base and bent upwardly at an acuteangle thereto, said tongue having a longitudinal slot through it completely closed at each end and having its two sides joined to the base, the slot between the legs being narrowerat the free end portion of the tongue than adjacent the base, whereby a shouldered stud may be passed freely through the fastener and thereafter engage the top of the tongue, the free end portion of said tongue being uncovered by any portion of the base, whereby a stud passing through the base and the tongue may extend freely well beyond the tongue.

9. A fastener made of a single piece of resilient material cut and deformed to provide a substantially flat base with a tongue partially severed from the base and bent up at an acute angle thereto with ing a four-sided frame about the tongue, said tongue having a longitudinal slot extending through it and terminating in a rounded end of materially greater size in the region where the tongue joins the base, whereby a shouldered stud may be passed freely through the fastener base the remainder of the base form- I adjacent the root of the tongue and thereafter bindingly overhang the tongue at the upper end of the slot therein.

10. A fastener made of a single piece of resilient material cut and deformed to provide a substantially flat base with a tongue partially severed from the base and bent up at an acute anle thereto with the remainder of the base forming a four-sided frame about the tongue, said tongue having a longitudinal slot extending through it and terminating in a rounded end at the free end portion of the tongue and in a rounded end of materially greater size in the region where the tongue joins the base, the forward end of said base being tipped up slightly and the rear end terminating in an upward flange whereby the fastener may readily be shoved forwardly to cause it to coact bindingly with a shouldered stud passed through the enlarged opening.

11. The combination with a multiple-shouldered stud and a fastener having a base and an inclined tongue with a longitudinal slot therein terminating in an enlargement at the root of the tongue, the normal height of the free end of the tongue above the base being greater than the distance from one shoulder to the next on the stud, whereby the stud may be passed freely through the enlarged opening in the fastener and thereafter by relative longitudinal movement between the fastener and stud may ride along the upper surface of the tongue and gradually depress the same toward the base so that in the final position the resilience of the tongue draws the stud snugly into position.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN. 

